BC Tops BU in Consolation Round Matchup

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass.—For one night, the Boston College women’s hockey team resembled its male counterpart.

The Eagles wasted little time attacking Boston University netminder Eden Spencer, launching 18 of their 25 shots on goal during the opening frame and finding the back of the net five times en route to a 7-1 victory in the Beanpot consolation round.

Though BC (5-13-3) established the early lead just five minutes in—courtesy of a Michelle Lombardi tally—the Eagles refused to relent against the Terriers’ club squad, mounting a prolonged attack that pinned the puck inside the BU (5-13-1) zone for the majority of the first period.

“No matter what the game, we’re always trying to get better,” BC coach Tom Mutch said.

The Eagles top two lines devastated the Terriers’ woeful defensive unit, tacking on the final four goals of the frame.

Outmatched and unable to mount a sustained charge outside its own zone, BU failed to muster a single shot the entire length of the first period, and managed just three in the final two frames despite the Eagles’ reduced pressure in the offensive zone.

With the game already out of reach at 6-0, Terriers captain Erine Sato snuck a shot past BC backup goaltender Christine Moynihan to pull within five and achieve the team’s goal of notching at least one goal during the tournament after being shut out by Northeastern one week earlier.

“It was kind of a dream come true,” Sato said. “It was amazing to see that black thing cross the goal.”

Childhood Chums

For Harvard co-captain Angela Ruggiero and Northeastern goaltender Chanda Gunn, Boston bragging rights weren’t the only thing on the line in last night’s championship game. They had something far more personal to settle.

“We go way back,” Ruggiero said. “I go to her house every summer and after every game she’s always reminding me of a save she made on me so it’s a fun rivalry.”

Neither of the two California natives, who have known each other since competing side-by-side on the state’s women’s team in 1994, wanted to be the one forced to listen to her longtime friend gloat about her team’s win in the most important contest held during the regular season.

With 7:55 gone by in the first period, Ruggiero made sure she wouldn’t have to.

Picking up a loose puck in front of sophomore Ali Boe’s net, Ruggiero sprinted up the right boards unopposed before swooping in across the goalmouth and burying a shot to Gunn’s left to give the Crimson a 2-0 lead.

“I knew that I had to get her to move because straight on she’s going to stop it,” Ruggiero said. “You’ve got to get her to move side to side, so I just kind of dragged it across the net and found a spot.”

Though it was her only tally on the evening—Gunn denied each of her other nine shots—she would add an assist on freshman Jenn Sifers’ goal to give Harvard a 4-1 lead at 10:30 in the third period and was lurking somewhere on the ice when the Crimson banged home four of its five scores, giving her plenty to rib Gunn about.

Golden Goalies

For the second straight week, an opposing netminder recorded more than 50 saves against Harvard’s prolific offense. And for the second straight week, the Herculean effort wasn’t enough.

One week removed from Bertagna Award winner Lisa Davis’ 59 saves on 63 shots—third-best all time in BC history—the Crimson peppered Gunn with 56 shots, while allowing the Huskies just 11 attempts on net.

“We had a feeling that we were probably going to be able to take a few shots,” Harvard coach Katey Stone said. “But those are the kinds of games that are great for goaltenders because they just get hotter and hotter and hotter.”

Coming off a 9-2 drubbing at then-No. 10 New Hampshire in which she was pulled after allowing five goals in two periods, Gunn looked shaky early, allowing freshman Caitlin Cahow to bang home a loose puck in front of the net just 1:39 into the first period.

But following Ruggiero’s tally, Gunn settled in between the pipes, negating the Crimson attack until 5:18 had gone by in the third and allowing Northeastern to claw its way back into the game at 2-1 despite being outshot 38-8 at the end of the second.

The flash of brilliance dissipated almost as quickly, as sophomore Jen Raimondi slapped a one-timer past Gunn at 5:18, paving the way for Harvard’s three-goal final frame.

Second Bananas

Harvard’s victory last night marks the sixth time in as many years that the Crimson has been crowned the best in Boston. During that stretch BC and Northeastern have split runner-up honors, with the Eagles playing second fiddle to Harvard in each of the previous two Beanpots.

“This never gets old,” Stone said. “Playing the Beanpot never gets old. It’s a huge tournament. Everyone knows it’s for bragging rights in Boston but it’s more than that. It’s an opportunity to play for something in the middle of February and only four teams get that opportunity in women’s college hockey.”

The Huskies last took home the coveted prize in 1998, defeating the Crimson 5-4 for their third straight trophy. The Eagles have never won the tournament.

Since the women’s Beanpot’s inception in 1979, either Harvard or Northeastern has competed for the title in all but one final—the 1981 showdown between BC and BU—with the two competing head-to-head 17 times—the Huskies holding an 11-6 advantage.

—Staff writer Timothy J. McGinn can be reached at mcginn@fas.harvard.edu.